7 killed after Russia unleashes 110 missiles, drones in one of biggest aerial barrages against Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said that Russia carried out a substantial assault on Ukrainian targets, utilising approximately 110 missiles and drones overnight, marking one of the most extensive aerial barrages witnessed in the ongoing 22-month conflict. The attack, spanning about 18 hours, resulted in the death of at least seven civilians.

A maternity ward, educational facilities, a shopping mall, multi-story residential buildings and private homes, a commercial storage, and a parking lot. Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities.

Today, Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its… pic.twitter.com/q5q8Q98Njr

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 29, 2023

Zelenskyy noted that a significant portion of the incoming missiles and drones were successfully intercepted during the onslaught. He also underscored the diverse array of weaponry employed by the Kremlin’s forces, ranging from ballistic missiles to cruise missiles, emphasizing the severity and multi-faceted nature of the attack. “Today, Russia used nearly every type of weapon in its arsenal: “Kindzhals,” S-300s, cruise missiles, and drones. Strategic bombers launched X-101/X-505 missiles. A total of around 110 missiles were fired against Ukraine, with the majority of them being shot down,” Zelenskyy said on social media platform X. However, the relentless assault left numerous individuals injured, with an undisclosed number trapped beneath the rubble, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities. The damage inflicted across Ukraine encompassed various structures, including a maternity hospital, residential buildings, and educational facilities. “Unfortunately, there have been fatalities and injuries as a result of the strikes. All services are working around the clock and providing the necessary aid. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he added. He said Ukraine will surely respond to terrorist strikes and will continue to fight for the security of “our entire country, every city, and every citizen”. “Russian terror must and will lose,” said Zelensky. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said Russia “apparently launched everything they have” in the attack. If Zelenskyy’s count is confirmed, it would be the largest aerial attack by the Kremlin’s forces since their full-scale invasion in February 2022. According to the Ukrainian air force, the previous biggest assault was in November 2022 when Russia launched 96 missiles against Ukraine. The bombardment came as fighting along the front line is largely bogged down by winter weather and after Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive failed to make a significant breakthrough along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) line of contact. The roughly 18-hour onslaught that began Thursday and continued through the night hit six cities, including the capital Kyiv, and other areas from east to west Ukraine, according to authorities. With inputs from agencies